My boyfriend went to Scotland, and all I got was…

So, The Pilot went to Scotland last weekend for a pleasure trip.  I was slightly miffed, but he has been wanting to go, and it was a good deal, so, whatever.  Fine.  I’m over it.  Mostly.  I told him that I wanted a good gift from Scotland, to make up for it.  “What do you want?” he asked.  “Something that makes you think of me,” I said.  “Not a shotglass!” I qualified, since so many people tend to bring shotglasses back from vacation.

So last night he comes over, and he hands me my “gift.” 

A chocolate bar, and a little bag from the first class cabin.  I start digging though the bag.  Something falls out, and I pick it up.  “Do you know what that is?” he asks.  “A travel toothbrush and toothpaste.”  He has (what I thought was) this expectant look on his face, so I’m wondering if maybe there’s more to the bag than just the “swag.”  I pull out an eyemask, some hand lotion, lip balm, earplugs, and, “Oh, socks.”  “They’re booties!” he says. 

I look at him and say, “So, my boyfriend went to Scotland, and all I got was this chocolate bar?” 

“It’s really good chocolate.”

Oy.  Boys can be so stupid.

I’m thinking it’s more like, “My boyfriend went to Scotland, and he forgot to get me something until he got to the airport.”

It’s not that I was expecting much, but something that reflects the actual locale is usually the vacation memento you bring back for people, right?  Even if it’s just a trinket like a keychain or a magnet…that they sell in the airport.

(I hope it comes across that I really do find this more humorous than anything else.  Boys really can be incredibly dumb sometimes.  But you’ve got to love ‘em.)

Religious Jewelry

Even though I don’t consider myself a religious person, I love religion-based jewelry.  You have your rosary beads, of course, but here are some others I like:

Tibetan Prayer Wheel Necklace;   Bhagavad Gita Verse Necklace;   “Fearless” Sterling Sanskrit Necklace;   Sterling Om Barrel Necklace;   Sterling Kabbalah Amulet Necklace;   Israeli Sterling Mezuzah Necklace;    I Love You Cartouche Necklace;   Silver & Garnet Prayer Wheel Necklace

Of course, I’ve been dying for some proper japa mala beads, here, here, here, here.  (The third one is my favorite, I think.)

My other dream has been something along the lines of the cartouche or the Bhagavad Gita necklace above – Something meaningful in an ancient language, on a long sterling pendant. 

I think it has something to do with the hope that with something like one of these, I might find some calm, some inner peace, and stop my mind from running in circles.

Think it will work?

I actually have a necklace that I haven’t worn in a while, a water symbol, which is supposed to be calming.  I wore it today, and you know what?  I did have a better day today than the rest of the week.  Whether it’s because of the necklace or not, I don’t care, because it is one of my favorites.

I’m over this week

I am having the week from hell.  I mean, literally, from hell.  I swear, all aspects of my life are FUBAR right now.  Work is killing me.  I’m a bit irate with The Pilot.  I thought I was getting ahead in the money department, but then I got a bill for $500 I wasn’t expecting.  I’m PMSing, and I’ve been an angerball and an emotional wreck for at least the last four days (maybe longer, but I may not have noticed it over the weekend), and all I can hope for is that my period gets here soon so I’m not ready to kill people (and, to quote my mom, “Everybody else hopes it arrives soon, too.”).  I had lost a few pounds, and then haven’t been able to work out all week, because instead of walking at lunch, I’ve had to work through lunch, and instead of working out after work, I’ve had extra-curricular activities.  Seriously, right now I want nothing more than to win the lottery and not have to work, have the perfect love life, be skinny and in a good mood, forever and ever amen.  Really, is that asking too much????  Today at work I kept making stupid mistake after stupid mistake, and I lost count of the times I had to fight off tears of frustration.  At lunch I decided I wanted French fries and a frosty, but I didn’t end up getting the frosty, and then I couldn’t get into my honey mustard packet.  Seriously, did I mention week from hell?  I haven’t even gotten a beer out of the fridge, for fear the fridge will break when I touch it! 

Mantra for the evening:  Tomorrow will be better.  Tomorrow will be better.  Tomorrow will be better.

PostSecret Event

 

I went to the PostSecret event last night at UNCC.  It was really great, and Frank Warren is a pretty cool guy.  The presentation started with a clip from The All-American Rejects video for Dirty Little Secret – I had no idea they had incorporated PostSecret into the video, but now it makes perfect sense.  Frank said they offered him $1000 to use the postcards in the background, but Frank asked them to make a $2000 donation to the Hope Line, instead.  He read a couple of secrets aloud, and went over how the project started, and what it has meant to so many people.  He had a presentation of postcards that the publisher wouldn’t allow in the book, either because of copyright issues (like the secret written on a syndicated comic strip) or because of the graphic nature of some of them.  There was one that they think was written on a page from a Disney coloring book, and the lawyer said they couldn’t include that because, “Mickey Mouse will sue your a$$.”  As on the website, some secrets are laugh out loud funny, some are so sad you’re reduced to tears, and some hit a nerve in you that you didn’t know you had.  There’s usually at least one every Sunday that I wonder if I wrote unconsciously.  

Some “brave souls” got up to share their secrets at the event via microphone.  I use quotes because I can’t actually decide what I think of these people.  In my more optimistic moments, I do think they are brave, to get up and share like that in a room full of strangers.  But in my less optimistic moments, I wonder if they’re just trying to get attention or garner sympathy.  Because, most of the auditorium was filled with college-aged kids – my friends and I looked around and realized that we are not necessarily the target demographic, if PostSecret has such a thing – and a lot of college-aged kids, especially these days, are a bit…melodramatic.  Frank even said that he’s been called out for PostSecret being narcissistic, and I think that in some instances, that’s definitely true.  

The idea behind sending your secret in is that, in writing it down and “releasing it,” it has no more hold on you. I’ve always considered sending a secret in, but (this is going to sound so sad) I don’t think I have a secret that’s interesting enough.  And, to be honest, most of my secrets are a secret even to me.  I’m really good at pushing those deep dark things into corners of my mind and forgetting they exist.  But last night, I thought of one.  One that’s been with me for a while.  But I won’t write it down, I won’t “release” it, because no good can come of it.  If I were to actually write it down, the first thing I would do is throw up.  And then, that secret would eat at me even more than it does now, because at that point I wouldn’t be able to let it go.  But for right now, it’s in a deep dark corner in my mind.

‘poo

Well, the Great Hair Experiment is over.  I caved this morning.  Yesterday I “washed” with conditioner, and although it seemed okay, throughout the day it looked greasy, and I felt like there was a film on my fingers after running them through my hair.  When I woke up this morning, it was just plain greasy.  I got in the shower, thinking I’d try one more day, but I decided I just couldn’t handle it.  So, I went back to shampoo.  However, I am going to seek out some shampoo without sulfates, as evidently that’s the “bad” part of the shampoo equation.  I guess that will be hair experiment 2.

Blog Recommendation

If you haven’t linked to av8erswife off my blogroll, please do.  It’s the blog of an ex-pat pilot’s wife and her time in India.  While it’s interesting to read about her life as the wife of a pilot, it’s far more interesting to read her wide-eyed discovery of India – both the beauty and the poverty.  She writes so honestly about the joys and heartbreaks that she sees daily, it’s very touching. 

A couple of my favorite posts here and here.  And check out her video slideshow here.

 

A Hair Experiment Update:  Yesterday morning when I woke, my hair didn’t seem as heavy as it was Friday, and it wasn’t really oily like I thought it would be.  But I wanted to try something else, so I mixed up some baking soda with water to make a paste and used that as my “shampoo,” and then conditioned as usual.  I used a blow dryer to dry my hair a bit, but not all the way.  And…my hair seemed a little dry.  But this morning, and all day to today, it hasn’t felt a bit oily.  I’ll try the conditioner again tomorrow morning.

Random Friday

Adding to my birthday list….I love the poppy bowls sold by this seller.  Oh, and I need a new pizza stone!

Hair Experiment update: so, last night I worked out and got in the shower. I used conditioner to scrub my head…weird. Let it air dry last night, and skipped the shower this morning. I have to say, it had quite a lot of bounce and body this morning, but I could definitely feel the difference. It was a bit heavy (my hair, for those who don’t know me, is pretty heavy to begin with). It could possibly be simply because I slept on it last night and didn’t wash it this morning. I’ve asked a couple of people to be absolutely 100% honest and report on the appearance of my hair, because I simply judge myself too harshly. As of 8:30 this morning, it looked good, according to them. My layers were particularly well defined. By noon I had clipped it back in a clip, as has become my habit. I asked my friends at about 3 for a “hair report,” and it still looked fine to them. To me, it felt heavy, as if I had used too much conditioner…

I realized today that I haven’t hung upside down from the monkey bars in years. I really must remedy that. I need to plan a day to go to the park and swing on the swings, go round on the merry-go-round, slide down the slide, play chicken on the monkey bars, and hang upside down. Maybe even teeter on the teeter-totter (or totter – I’m not picky). Now that spring has sprung, I’ll pick a day when the weather is nice and go enjoy the sunshine like a kid.

The Pilot is off to Scotland this weekend, for a pleasure trip. Am I jealous? You bet! He has been trying to arrange a trip, and he was able to this weekend. He asked if I was pissed, and I said no. “I just wish that one of these days, when you have some time off, you might think, ‘Hey, maybe Delightful and I can go somewhere fun together!’ Especially when it’s a weekend, when I’m off work anyways.” I hope he got the point. I actually am not pissed – I know he’s been wanting to go, and he really did get a good deal. It just bothers me because it makes me feel like he doesn’t want to spend an extended period of time with me. I’m still struggling with my need for more vs. his “when it’s convenient” attitude.

Ok, that’s it for now!  Go play!

I’m gonna wash that dirt right outta my hair!

Okay, so I’ve known for years that, really, you’re not supposed to wash your hair every day.  It’s damaging.  I know this.  I’ve tried going two days before, but about halfway through the second day I feel like a grease-pit.  And what about when I work out?  I try to work out every day, and not washing my hair after that is just….yick.

And then I heard this.  Okay, so my hair is oily on the second day because I’ve stripped the oil away and it’s now overcompensating.  Got it.  I could wash my hair in baking soda, but I absolutely refuse to use vinegar – I don’t want to smell like that. 

Then I read in the comments, someone mentioned conditioner washing your hair.  ” Buy a conditioner, not anything fancy, it can be a cheapie, and apply a liberal amount of it to your hair. Massage in for like 2-3 minutes working it into your scalp. Your massaging away dirt and debris instread of stripping it with a harsh detergent. Then rinse as you would with shampoo making sure to get it all out, and then just apply your regular conditioner to the ends (about half way down hair but not to the scalp). Unless you have scalp issues where you need to follow a strict shampooing regimen determined by your doctor, this will work to keep your hair smelling and looking good.”

Hmmmmm.  I think I’ll do a little experiment this weekend.  I already use conditioner to shave – might as well shampoo with it to!  I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Well, damn.

It seems the cable company finally caught up with me.  I have no more extended cable.  No TNT.  No USA.  No E!  And - I’m sure The Pilot will be very upset with this – no Comedy Central.  Oh, and no  more HBO. 

Oh, well.  I can’t complain too much – I did get it all for free for…more than a year now, I think. 

I’m just going to have to get more acquainted with hulu.

But whatever will I do without The Soup?!

Birthday Wish List

I love this necklace.  And this one.  In fact, I like a lot of the things this seller has!  (My “subtle” hinting with my mom may have scored me one of these today!)

A Home Depot or Lowe’s gift card.  I really need to get some stuff done around the house!!

I wanna be Sona Smooth!

A new DVD player (DVR) – since the one I bought seems to have disappeared from my front porch while workers were painting – but no, they didn’t take it….

Hmmmmm…..  Other than big ticket items (TV, computer), I can’t think of anything else.  But I’ll be sure to update if I do think of anything!

30 days to go!